Some R7 million has been set aside to build silos in the Eastern Cape as part of a cropping project that will create job opportunities, AsgiSA Eastern Cape said on Tuesday.
"Silos and milling plants are important to the economy as these will ultimately lead to diversification for communities who are looking to the programme to help alleviate poverty and improve food security.
"The jobs to be created and the small business development are also significant benefits of the integrated cropping programme," said Mashologu in a statement.
Mashologu said a community public-private partnership arrangement was likely to be formed for managing the grain silos and milling plants.
The silo sites are expected to be ready in time for the second maize harvest in 2010.
AsgiSA completed its first harvest with almost 18,000 tons of maize harvested in Butterworth, Matatiele, Mount Frere and Qumbu. This is expected to double this year, as a number of hectares has doubled from 6,700 to 12,000.
There were plans to plant 100,000 hectares of different dry-land crops (mostly maize) in rural Eastern Cape over the next five years, expanding this to 500,000 hectares by 2032, said Mashologu.
However, this was still under review.
AsgiSA Eastern Cape is a government initiative which assists the provincial government in accelerating growth and development in the eastern part of the Eastern Cape, also known as the former Transkei.
Sapa
